Ophthalmic mounting



Jan. 22, 1957 P RANCE 2,778,270

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Filed March 26. 1953 may 7 I m n um!!!" INVENTOR m- T7 T7 Hy POMERANCE mrw ATTORNEY OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Hy Pomerance, New York, N. Y.

Application March 26, 1953, Serial No. 344,741

7 Claims. (Cl. 88--41) This invention relates to an ophthalmic mounting and more particularly to an improved mounting comprising a bridge and separable eye frames.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an ophthalmic mounting of novel and improved appearance characterized by a bridge which may be of zylonite or the like, and eye wires provided with ornamental front plaques of contrasting material such as sheet metal of gold, or gold plated metal, or the like, adapted to interfit with the bridge but be readily separable therefrom.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an ophthalmic mounting or frame of this character provided with means whereby various sizes of eye wires may be readily assembled with various sizes of bridges, and various styles of eye wire plaques associated with bridges of different colors or design, whereby the optometrist may efiect a substantial reduction in the quantity of stock frames normally kept on hand.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an ophthalmic mounting of this character which is readily adaptable to a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors and designs which may be assembled from the component elements of the mounting with a minimum of time, effort and difficulty.-

Still other objects reside in a combination of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front perspective view of one form of ophthalmic mounting embodying the instant invention,

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the structure of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the mounting,

Figure 4 is an enlarged end view of the bridge comprising a feature of the instant invention,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the bridge of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a top view of the bridge,

Figure 7 is a rear plan view of a single eye wire and its associated plaque disassembled from the bridge and having the temple removed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicated at 10, a central bridge to which are adapted to be secured, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, a pair of substantially similar but opposite eye wires 11, each provided with a front ornamental eye wire reinforcing plaque 12 to which are secured, also in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, temples 13. Each eye wire is adapted to surround and mount a lens 14.

Referring now particularly to the bridge member 10, as best shown in Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, the latter includes a pair of oppositely extending projections 15 and a central bridge or body portion 16 having an arcuate central portion 17 (see Fig. 6), adapted to bridge the top of the nose. The lower portion of the projections 15 merge into the arcuate end portions 18 of central body 16 and are provided with a centrally positioned longitudinally extending groove 19 adapted for the reception of the rim of an adjacent eye wire 11.

The first edges of projections 15 are provided with cutaway end portions 20 of a depth substantially equal to the width of ornamental plaque 12 and adapted for the reception of the ends thereof in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter. Each projection 15 is provided in the front face thereof adjacent the cutaway portion 20 with a' slot 21 and each side of the body portion is correspondingly provided with a recess 22 positioned in the groove 19. Laterally extending upper and lower bores 23 and 24 extend through the rear face of bridge 10, the bores 23 communicating with the slot 21, and the bores 24 intersecting the recess 22 at substantially right angles thereto.

Having reference now to the eye wires 11, these may be of any desired conventional size or configuration and are preferably formed with separable ends adapted to be secured together in any desired conventional manner as by a barrel 30, having a threaded bore therein within which is seated a securing screw or the like. The eye wires 11 are adapted to be secured to the plaques 12 in any desired manner as by soldering 31, but are preferably spaced slightly rearwardly of the plaque to provide a space between the eye wire and the plaque.

Each eye wire 11 is provided with projection 32 and each plaque is provided with a barrel 33 having an internal bore 34, the barrel extending over and being substantially flush with the rear edge of eye wire 11. Both projection 32 and bore 34 are internally threaded.

In the assembly of the device, the eye wire 11 is adapted to be positioned in the groove 19, with the barrel 33 extending into recess 21, with its bore 34 in alignment with bore 23, the assemblybeing held in position by means of screws 35 (see Fig. 3). Simultaneously projection 32 seats in bore 22, the recess 24 being aligned with the centrally threaded aperture therein and secured in position as by means of locking screws 36. Thus it wil be seen that the end 37 of each plaque 12 seats firmly against the ridge formed by the cutaway portion 20 of the bridge and the assemblies of bridge eye wires and plaques are securely held in related assembly by means of the screws 35 and 36.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ends of each plaque 12 are curved, as indicated at 38, and carry hinge barrels 39 adapted to coact with corresponding hinge barrels carried by the ends of temples 13 in order that the temples may be pivotally mounted thereon in a conventional manner.

The eye wires 11 also carry the conventional nose pad mounting wires 40 to which are secured the nose pads 41.

In the use and assembly of the mounting, it will be seen that any desired size of eye wire may be readily soldered to any desired style of plaque and the resultant combination eye wire and plaque assembled with any desired size or color of bridge, merely by positioning the parts as previously described and securing the same by means of the screws 35 and 36. Obviously any desired lens may be utilized with the eye wires when the latter is separated in a known and conventional manner.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved ophthalmic mounting which may be readily adapted to a variety of sizes, colors and styles of ophthalmic mountings and wide variations therein may be produced by the appropriate choice of different designs, styles, shapes and colors of bridges, plaques, and eye wires.

It will also be seen that there is herein provided an ophthalmic mounting which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of thisinventive concept and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore sholi/n and described, it is to be understood that matter herein is to be artisans merely as illustrative and not in a li'ti'fi tih g sense.

What I eiaim is:

1. In an ophthalmic Il'fllliilfi'g the assists-anon at a bridge, a pair of eye wife's reteasauy esaaeetea to oil'- p'osite ends of said bridge, and front platass sec uied to said ey'e wires i'nteriittin'g with the ends of said bridge, said bridge having longi'tndinally extending channels in the ends thereof in which theinner portions of said eye wires seat and imer ngaging means on said inner portions of said wires and in 'sai'dchahnels connecting said bridge and eye wires, said nieans inblnding recesses in said bridge inwardly of said channels; a pair 'of barrels on said inner portions of said eye wir'es', bores intersecting said recesses, and screws extending through "said b'ores securing said barrels in said recesses.

2. In an ophthalmic mounting "the coinhination of a bridge, a pair of eye wires releasably connected to op'- positc ends of said bridge, and front plaques secured to said eye wires interfitting with the/ends of said bridge, said bridge having longitudinally extending channels in the ends thereof in which the inner portions of said eye wire seat and interenga'ging means on said inner portions of said wires and in said channels connecting said bridge and eye wire,said means including recesses in said bridge inwardly of said channels, a barrel on said inner portions of said eye wires, bores intersecting said recesses, and

screws extending through said bores securing "said barrels in said recesses, additional apertures in said bridge, projections having centrally disposed bores carried by said plaques seating in said additional apertures, and additional screws extended throughsaid additional apertures engaging in the bores of said projections.

3. In an ophthalmic mounting the combination of a bridge, a pair of eye wires relea'sably connected to opposite ends of said bridge, and front plaques secured to said eye wires interfitting with the ends of said bridge, said bridge having longitudinally extending channels in the ends thereof in which the inner portions of said eye wire seat and interengaging means on said inner portions of said wires and in said channels connecting said bridge and eye wire, said means including recesses in said bridge inwardly of said channels, barrels on said inner portions of said eye wires, bores intersecting said recesses, and screws extending through said bores scouring said barrels in said apertures, additional apertures in said bridge, projections having centrally disposed bores carried by said plaques seating in said additional apertures, and additional screws extended through said additional apertures engaging in the bores of said projections, the ends of said bridge having cut away portions on the forward side thereof to a depth substantially equal to the thickness of said plaques, the ends of said plaques seating in said cutaway portions to be substantially flush with the front of said bridge.

4. in an ophthalmic mounting, a bridge piece, a pair of eye wires fixed to and extending from said bridge piece, a pair of plaques disposed in confronting position to said eye Wires and fixed to said eye wires and said bridge piece with the intermediate portions of said plaques spaced forwardly from said eye wires, said'bridge piece comprising a nose bridge spanning portion and a pair of substantially divergent ends extending from each end of said nose bridge spanning portion; saideinds having a longitudinal channel within which the nasal portion of each eye wire is adapted to seat, correlated rneans carried by said nasal portion and saidbridge piece securing said nasal portion in said channel, each plaque being fixed adjacent the outer end thereof to an eye wire, one member of each pair of ends having a cutaway in the forward side thereof, said cutaway forming a shoulder against which the inner end of said plaque is adapted to abut, said one member having 'an opening therethrough communicating with said cutaway, a barrel fixed to the inner portion of said plaque and engaging in said opening, and a screw threaded into said barrel from the inner side of said one member to thereby tightly secure said plaque in said cutaway with the inner end of said plaque abutting said shoulder.

5. In an ophthalmic mounting a bridge piece, a pair of eye wires hired to and extending from said bridge piece, a pair of plaques disposed in confronting position to said eye wires and fixed to the outer upper portions of said eye wires with the intermediate portions of said plaques spaced forwardly from the upper portions of said eye wires, said bridge piece being formed with a pair of cutouts in the forward side thereof in which the inner ends of sa d ressuring-a e, a bananas to each plaque adjacent the inner end thereof, said bridge piece having an opening extending thereth'rou gh in which said barrel engages, screws securing said barrels in said openings, said bridgepieee having a channel in each end thereof in which the nasal portion of an eyewire seat s, said bridge piece also haying a recess extending inwardly from said channel, and a prdjection fixed to the nasal portion of each eye wire smigty en agin in said recess.

, 6. In an ophthalmic mounting, a bridge piece, a pair of eye wires hired to and extending from said bridge piece, a pair of plaques disposedin confronting position to said eye wires and fixed to 'theouter upper portions of said eye wires with the intermediate portions of said plaques spacedfor'wardly from the upper portions of said eye wires, said bridgepiece being formed with a pair of cutouts in the forward side thereof in which the inner ends ofsaid plelqnes engage, a barrel fixed to each plaque adjacent the inner end thereof, said bridge piece having an opening extending the'rethrough in which said barrel engages, screws securing said barrels in said openings, said li'ridge piece having a channel in each end thereof in which the'nasal portion of an eye wire seats, said bridge piece also having a recess extending inwardly from said channel, a projection fixed to the nasal portion of each eyewlr' snugly engaging in said recess, and a screw extending at least partially through said bridge piece and threaded into said projection.

7. In an ophthalmic mounting, a bridge piece, a pair of eye wires fixed to and extending from said bridge piece, a pair of plaques disposed in confronting position to said e'y'e wires and fixed to said eye wires and said bridge piece with the intermediate portions of said plaques spaced forwardly from the upper portions of said eye wires, said bridge piece comprising a nose bridge spanning portion and a pair of substantially divergent ends extending from each end of said nose bridge spanning portion, said ends having a longitudinal channel within which the nasal portion of each eye wire is adapted to seat, correlated means carrie'dby said nasal portion and said bridge piece securing said nasal portion in said channel, each plaque being fixed adjacent the outerend thereof to an eye wire, one mernberbf each pairof ends having a cutaway in the forward side thereof, said cutaway forming a shoulder against which the inner end of said plaque is adapted to abut, said one member having an opening therethrongh communicating with said cutaway, a barrel fixed to'th e inner portionof said plaque and engaging in sa1d opnihg, and a screw threaded into said barrel from the inner side of said one member to thereby tightly secure said plaque in said cutawa'y'with the inner end of said plaque abutting said shoulder, the edge of said shoulder and the inner abutting end of said plaque having a configuration such that said plaque will be held against turning relative to said bridge piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'uNi'reD STATES PATENTS 1,91,60,45; happen May 29, 1934 2,345,065 Nerney Mar. 28, 1944 2,5773% 'sregeman Dec. 4, 1951 

